Golf clubs, as usually made, comprise a ball hitting head, affixed to a shaft and a grip located on the top or "end" of said shaft, opposite the head.
Such a golf club as above described, does not adequately align the club head face to match a golfer's stroke to eliminate a slice or a hook.
It is an object of this invention to disclose a rotatable adjustable one piece grip on the shaft of a golf club.
To more clearly define "adjustable one piece grip", this means the grip 9 of FIG. 2 and includes the toothed section 7 which is part of and fastened firmly to the grip section, thus the grip is a unitary section.
Another object of this invention is to disclose a rotatable grip section for a golf club, wherein the grip is held non-rotating or locked in a suitable index position by means of meshing of tooth sections held in position by a spring under or in compression.
A further object of this invention is to disclose a method of aligning a golf club head with an index on a rotatable grip to suit an individual golfer.
Another object of this invention is to disclose a method of mounting a rotatable grip area on the shaft of a golf club.
Another object of this invention is to disclose a rotatable one piece grip section for a golf club including a grip section wrap and flat section on said grip to align the hands on the grip, and wherein the grip is held non-rotating or locked in a suitable position by means of meshing tooth sections held in position by a spring under or in compression.
Another object of this invention is to disclose a method of mounting a rotatable one piece grip area on the shaft of a golf club, such that on aligning the index with the golf club head that the grip area is then firmly anchored in position while using the club to hit the ball.
Another object of this invention is to disclose a golf club wherein the grip section can be rotated on the shaft to index the player's grasp of said grip to open or close the club head hitting surface, to correct for a slice or hook.
Another object of this invention is to disclose a golf club and grip therefor comprising a rotatable one piece grip section on the shaft, wherein the grip can be locked in a suitable index position by means of meshing of tooth sections held in position by means of a spring in compression, such that the grip section is non-rotating when hitting a golf ball.
Another object of this invention is to disclose a rotatable one piece grip section mounted on the shaft of a golf club, and means to lock said grip comprising a spring in compression, one end of which spring is against a fixed collar firmly anchored on said shaft and the other end of said spring is against the inside shoulder of said grip, whereby a toothed section mounted on said grip meshes with a toothed section rigidly mounted on the end of said shaft to hold the grip non-rotatable.
Foregoing patents pertaining to this invention are:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,876,010 to Hugman PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,130 to Jacques PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,714 to Smolinski PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,332 to Gray PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,091,512 to Marsh PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,053 to Lorthiois PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,044,567 to Daday PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,697 to Berzatzy PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,125 to Heath PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,556,473 to Ballow PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,200,626 to Lamkin PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,712,765 to Knight PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,876,010 describes a golf club with a grip adjustable to a selected position, and then sealed so that the position of the grip may not be changed; thus this patent differs from this present application.
None of the above patents, however, cover this present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,130--for Golf Club Grip Training Aid -- This is merely a sleeve with a recess or notch for the thumb of the rearward hand. This sleeve is just a teaching aid for improving the grip.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,714--Practice Golf Club. In this patent the grip is divided transversely into two parts. The top half is immovably mounted on the shaft while the lower half is freely rotatable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,332--Golf Aid. This patent covers an indicator scale on the club shaft, with a manually moveable pointer. This indicator is mounted on the shaft, below the grip.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,091,512--this patent comprises a two piece grip and a lock nut; there is no compression spring to mesh the tooth sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,053--this patent covers only mounting of a golf club head adjustable for pitch only and has nothing to do with a golf club handle. This does not touch this present application.
Daday U.S. Pat. No. 2,044,567--this patent covers variable spring compression and covers movement of the club head in response to centrifugal action when the club is swung to strike the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,697--this is for a "Stable Grip Tennis Racket Handle"--This has an "L" shaped support on the racket handle. The handle is held rigid after suitable adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,125--This patent is for "Adjustable Tennis Racket". This patent does not include tooth meshing for a grip, and in this patent the handle grip must be disassembled for resetting for further rotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,556,473--this covers mainly a gripping handle for a golf club which invention is based on a row of depressions for placemnt of fingers. This then does not touch this present Melby invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,200,626--this is for bead wrap covering only the region which is normally engaged by the upper hand of the golfer. There are no similarities of this Lamkin patent and this present Melby application.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,712,765--this patent covers a "Wrist-Motion Rotary Hand-Tool". This patent does not cover meshing of collars by a spring but instead relies on "a spring compressing forward thrust of the grip member, the teeth will engage to lock the shaft against rotation in the grip member". This is just the opposite of this present Melby application wherein the spring in compression meshes the toothed sections. In this Knight patent, the spring is to separate the toothed sections.